Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu as part of his official visit to Moscow.
Continuing his visit to Russia, Fidan held talks with Shoigu in the Russian capital.
In his opening remarks, Shoigu emphasized that the conflict in Ukraine could have been resolved much earlier on the basis of the Istanbul agreements had it not been for Western interference.
Referring to the documents prepared in Istanbul at the time, which he described as a critical foundation for a settlement, Shoigu stressed that this process represented the only concrete step taken toward ending the conflict. He recalled that both Russia and Türkiye had done everything possible to implement the agreement.
Highlights from Shoigu’s Statements
- Russia and Türkiye have always found mutually acceptable solutions to a wide range of complex issues.
- One example was the joint effort to combat international terrorism in Syria.
- Those were difficult times, but Russia and Türkiye always managed to reach mutually acceptable solutions. Whether it was establishing de-escalation zones in Syria or fighting international terrorist groups, I cannot recall a situation where we failed to complete the task.
- Joint efforts regarding Ukraine included the return of Turkish vessels from Ukrainian ports, organizing food shipments to Türkiye, and facilitating the release of cargo that had been blocked for a long time.
- The United Nations was the only party that failed to fulfill its obligations under the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
- We highly appreciate Türkiye’s role in establishing the mechanism for the Black Sea grain agreement.
- At the time, both Russia and Türkiye fully met their commitments.
- The third participant in the agreement, namely the United Nations, failed to carry out the obligations it had undertaken.
Fidan: Our Joint Efforts Are Crucial for Stability in the Caucasus and Central Asia
Foreign Minister Fidan highlighted the joint work carried out by Russia and Türkiye in addressing difficult crises, stressing that Ankara has done everything possible to help end the conflict in Ukraine.
Highlights from Fidan’s Statements
- Türkiye is doing everything in its power to bring the conflict in Ukraine to an end.
- Our joint efforts with Russia are of great importance for promoting stability in the Caucasus and Central Asia.
- Trade relations and logistics issues are of tremendous value.
- We cooperated and worked together during the most difficult times.
- I would like to express my gratitude for your efforts toward ensuring stability in Syria.
- Ankara and Moscow are connected by a broad bilateral and regional agenda, and cooperation on these issues continues to hold strategic importance for both countries.